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This November: Small Steps for the Win!
This month, I'd like to return to a frequent theme of the Building Healthy Habits group: small changes are the building blocks of sustainable healthy habits. A recent doctor's appointment underscored that point for me. I'm seeing a specialist and he was doing an initial assessment of where I am physically. He commented on…
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A September to Remember
I want to pick up on the theme Kathy outlined for us in July: “What will I do in July and in the rest of 2024?” It is just as relevant a question in September as it was a couple of months ago. We attach way too much importance to waiting until January to start a new habit. The best time to start a new habit is right NOW.…
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Welcome New Members: Please Read
Welcome to the Building Healthy Habits group! As the group leaders for this group, we hope you’ll take a few minutes now to read through this overview as it will help you decide if this group is a good fit for you. As one of the largest groups on My Fitness Pal, you likely found us and perhaps thought, “Hmm…. maybe this…
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No Snowballs in August!
It all starts innocently enough. For me lately it’s been a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. You join in your family’s nightly ritual of snacking while watching TV at night, despite a pledge to yourself that you’ll close your food diary and stop eating at 7pm. Or your schedule gets thrown for a loop one day causing you to skip…
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Hello June! Hello Summer!
June is a lovely month and the official start of summer! I am so looking forward to walks in my woods, summer cookouts spent on breezy porches, and the abundant sunlight. Dusk at 9pm? Yes, please! What are you looking forward to and what do you have planned for this month or this summer? Any vacations on the horizon?…
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This April I Will (Sit Less!)
I was inspired by Kathy's suggestion that we focus on mindfulness in March. Even though I didn't hit the mindful mark every day -- because it was my focus for March, I was more mindful throughout the month than I would have been otherwise. Building new habits is hard and it usually requires a more sustained effort than…
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This February I Will...
Hello February! Let's keep the momentum of the new year going. Think of all the amazing things we can achieve together this month! If you're new here, welcome to our group! Share with us your goals for February and how we can help you achieve them. Pro tip: set regular reminders to check in with us – be it daily, weekly,…
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This January I Will....
And just like that... it's a new day, a new month, and a new year! Happy New Year! May 2024 be filled with good health and happiness for you and your family. Just imagine what we can all accomplish this year! I'm sure we will be celebrating a lot of healthy new habits this year. If you are joining us for the first time, a…
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This December I Will...
Hi Everyone! Thanks for understanding that I needed to hit pause briefly. I enjoy my job, but at the end of the day I need to step away from the computer. This sunrise winter image really strikes a chord with me. I love mornings! They are a daily fresh start and an opportunity to shape the day into whatever I want it to…
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This November I Will...
And hello November! I love this time of year, although I could skip the 6:30 wakeup in total darkness. The holidays are just around the corner, and as we know, it's all too easy to let healthy habits slip. Let's not let that happen! Whether you want to continue to work on a habit you started earlier, or select something…
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This October I Will (Walk More!)
As we begin October, Maddie and I hope you’ll think of October as we do: as Walktober! We know that many of you are already daily walkers. Walking is a wonderful way to get some exercise, clear your head, reduce your stress, connect with people you love, and see things from a new perspective. Let's all walk more this…
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This September I Will (Have No Snowballs)....
Hello Habit Builders! As we let go of summer and transition to fall, now is a great time to reassess where we are, how our goals are progressing, and what we need to do to wrap up 2023 as we intended back in January. Summers have a glorious way of meandering us off track. And in some sense, that's what summers should do!…
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This July I Will...
Pause for a minute and think about the end of the year (hopefully, the banner image helps). How do you want to feel in December? What's your top health goal you want to accomplish by then? What small habits do you need in place to accomplish your goal(s)? We are conditioned to view New Year's as the ideal time to make…
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This May I Will....
Can someone please tap the brakes on 2023? How can it possibly be May already? But it is May and it's going to be a great month! Some of you May want to continue the habits you've been working on over the last few months, while other members May want a fresh start. We are here to support you in either case. Check in daily,…
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This March I Will...
I really loved our February theme of treating ourselves with more love, kindness, and compassion (Thanks, @MadisonMolly2017!). I think there's a related principle to loving ourselves more that we might explore this month: reigning in our self doubt, a negative self-image, or that nagging feeling that we can't accomplish…
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My Most Successful Habit in 2022
Hello Everyone! The new year is both a clean slate and an opportunity to reflect on the past year and what we achieved, made some progress on, and even a bit of soul-searching on the goals we set that didn’t pan out. Since we have new members joining us, I would love to hear from our veteran habit builders as to what was…
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This January I Will....
Happy 2023! We are looking forward to a terrific year building new habits and deepening the good healthy habits we already have. If you are joining us for the first time, a very warm welcome! We are glad you are here. Our focus on creating healthy habits sets us apart from most other groups on MFP. It isn't enough to want…
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This November I Will...
And Hello November! With 2 more months left of 2022, what's on your to-do list? What healthy habit would you like to create before the year ends that will be a great platform for 2023? If it's helpful, you might frame your goal along these lines: 1. My goal for this month (This November I will...") 2. The small actions…
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This October I Will...(Walk!)
As we begin a new month, Maddie and I hope you’ll think of October as we do: as Walktober! This month is ripe for starting, rekindling, or deepening a daily walking habit. Walking is a wonderful way to get some exercise, clear your head, reduce your stress, connect with people you love, and see things from a new…
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This September I Will...
Happy September, Everyone! I hope you had a great, relaxing summer and are looking forward to the fall. With one third of 2022 still ahead of us, we have plenty of time to practice and implement new habits that will make us healthier, happier, and better able to cope with whatever life throws our way. What's on your to-do…
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This August I Will....
And Hello August! There's one more full month of summer. What would you like to accomplish this month? What's on your to-do list? What healthy habit would you like to create this month or continue working on from July? If it's helpful, you might frame your goal along these lines: 1. My goal for this month (This August I…
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This July I Will....
Hello Everyone and Happy July! Think back for a moment to six months ago. It was January 1st, the first day of a brand new year. If you're like most people, you probably set some goals that you wanted to accomplish in 2022. Many of you have accomplished the goals you targeted in January or they are well underway: you set a…
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This June I Will...
And just like that, Summer 2022 begins! What healthy habit do you want to work on this month? Summer can be a great time to focus on a longer term goal. I'll be focusing on getting more sleep and I know what my initials steps will be make that happen. Whatever your goal is, we are here to support and encourage you. Let's…
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The May I Will...
Hello Everyone and Happy May! Happy New Month! What a glorious time of year...birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and there is abundant sunshine. I just love May! So what habit will you be working on this month and how can we help? Whether you've got something new planned or it's a continuation of a habit you've been…
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This April I Will....
Since April is the month where most of us see real changes in our environment with a resurgence of budding trees and flowers, lawns, and songbirds, Maddie and I thought we’d leverage this season of environmental change by encouraging you to make a few changes in your own environment. What do we have in mind? Well, imagine…
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The Nuts and Bolts of Habit Building
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This March I Will...
Hello Everyone and Hello March! March is a favorite month of mine. There's more daylight, more warmth, and the promise of Spring on the horizon. Even if us cold-climate dwellers have to slog through mud season first, warmer days, open windows, grilling, gardening, and outdoor exercising will be returning soon. I can't…
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VR is a great tool for Fitness
I received a Quest 2 for Christmas and I love it. I enjoy playing Beat Saber especially in multiplayer mode with my daughter who lives 2000 miles away. I especially enjoy Supernatural for the awesome music and motivation from the coaches. Yes, $19 a month isn’t cheap, but I use it everyday and can tell my upper body is…
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This February I Will....
Got a question for you. Who are you, really? 😀 If you were to describe yourself, what descriptors would you use? Many of us describe ourselves by the roles we have in life, how we spend our time, and what’s most important to us. These key descriptors become part of our identity: how we see ourselves and often how others…
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This January I Will...
Happy New Year! Just imagine what we can all accomplish in 2022! I'm sure we will be celebrating a lot of healthy new habits this year. Why am I so sure? Because any goal takes more than just desire: it takes a realistic plan with small, specific, do-able actions steps, and the commitment to see the plan through, even when…
